All three US-based automakers, General Motors, Chrysler Group LLC and Ford Motor Company, reported increased sales in March. General Motors said March sales of 231,052 vehicles in the US were a 12 percent year-on-year increase. Retail deliveries increased 14 percent compared with March 2011 and accounted for 74 percent of GM sales. Chrysler reported sales of 163,381 units for March, a 34 percent increase compared with sales in March 2011 (121,730 units).
Ford's total unit sales of 223,418 vehicles represented a 5 percent year-on-year gain and retail sales increased 11 percent. For the first quarter 2012, Ford's sales were up 9 percent versus year-ago levels, totaling 539,247 vehicles sold. Last month also represented Ford's best monthly sales since March 2008, best first quarter since 2008, the 24th consecutive month of year-over-year sales gains, and the 10th consecutive month of sales gains of at least 20 percent.